Opening hours
Monday - Friday, 07:45 AM - 6:00 PM
The Wooden Horse At St. Hildas
Ofsted: Expected standard·
5.0(1 Google review)
·St Hildas Rc Primary School, Airy Hill, Whitby, YO21 1PZ · North Yorkshire
Number of places
45 places
Age range
0–4 yrs
Last inspected
Jan 2026
Local authority
North Yorkshire
About this day nursery
The Wooden Horse At St. Hildas is a welcoming childcare setting in Whitby, registered with Ofsted since August 2017. It caters to children aged 0-4 years and operates Monday to Friday from 7:45 AM to 6:00 PM.
The day nursery prides itself on an inclusive culture, where every child's individuality is celebrated and nurtured. Leaders have effective processes to identify and support children with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) early, providing tailored assistance.
The day nursery has even created a dedicated SEND room, in collaboration with external professionals, to offer targeted spaces and resources for communication, regulation, and learning. Children benefit from daily outdoor play, fostering confidence and coordination, and even interact with the nursery's rabbits, learning about responsibility and empathy.
Regular outings, including visits to the seafront pier to see lobsters and the local nursing home, enrich children's learning and community understanding. Parents are actively involved in their children's learning journey, praising the quality of support provided by the dedicated staff.
Our ethos
At The Wooden Horse, everything we do is built around our Ethos: Nurture · Thrive · Explore. We provide a safe, caring, and stimulating environment where every child is nurtured as an individual. By focusing on each child’s emotional and physical wellbeing, we ensure they feel secure, valued, and ready to flourish.
What it's like
Children develop a positive attitude to their learning and generally make progress from their starting points. However, practice is not yet consistently embedded for all children across the setting. Children with SEND benefit from carefully planned tailored support and high-quality interactions that respond to their individual needs. Children feel safe, secure and well cared for in the setting, forming positive relationships with staff and peers.
Inclusive environmentTailored SEND supportOutdoor playCommunity engagementPositive relationships
Pricing & funding
Pricing on request
This nursery doesn't publish its fees online. Contact them directly for an up-to-date price list and availability.
Key facts
Age range
0-5 years
Registered with Ofsted
2017
Ofsted Inspection — new report card
Expected standard
Last inspected Jan 2026
Grade summary
Exceptional
—
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
—
Each dot represents one of the six inspection categories. Headline is the average of the six grades, rounded up.
Category grades
AchievementNeeds attention
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routinesExpected standard
Children's welfare and wellbeingExpected standard
Curriculum and teachingNeeds attention
InclusionStrong standard
Leadership and governanceNeeds attention
Age range
0 to 4
Registers
Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register
Ofsted Inspection
Ofsted report for The Wooden Horse At St. Hildas
Last inspected 23 January 2026 · Jennifer Cowton
Actions the provider must take
- provide effective supervision, training and support to staff to help them identify areas for improvement and raise the quality of the curriculum and teaching to the highest level.
- develop existing systems to ensure that all staff are precisely aware of children's individual next steps to ensure that all children achieve well from their individual starting points.
What it's like to attend
Children develop a positive attitude to their learning and generally make progress from their starting points. However, practice is not yet consistently embedded for all children across the setting. Children with SEND benefit from carefully planned tailored support and high-quality interactions that respond to their individual needs. Children feel safe, secure and well cared for in the setting, forming positive relationships with staff and peers.
Inspector highlights
- Leaders promote a culture of inclusion in which every child's individuality is recognised, valued and nurtured.
- Staff skilfully use a graduated approach to assess, plan, do and review support for children with additional needs.
- Leaders have established a positive environment with clear expectations for behaviour.
- Children feel safe, secure and well cared for in the setting, forming positive relationships with staff and peers.
- Children grow in confidence and independence as they manage self-care tasks.
- Children enjoy regular outings, including visits to the seafront pier to see the lobsters, the local nursing home and the park.
Areas to develop
- 1Provide effective supervision, training and support to staff to help them identify areas for improvement and raise the quality of the curriculum and teaching to the highest level.
- 2Develop existing systems to ensure that all staff are precisely aware of children's individual next steps to ensure that all children achieve well from their individual starting points.
Inspection #10129573 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report
Inclusion & environment
How they support every child
SEND provision
Leaders have effective processes to identify children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) at an early stage, ensuring that children receive timely and well-planned support. Staff skilfully use a graduated approach to assess, plan, do and review support for children with additional needs, and the setting has developed a dedicated SEND room to provide targeted spaces and resources. This coordinated approach strengthens inclusion and ensures vulnerable children are supported to participate fully and make meaningful progress.
Outdoor space
Children access daily outdoor play for fresh air and exercise, where they run, climb and balance, developing confidence and coordination. The setting keeps rabbits, and children help to care for them, which supports responsibility and empathy.
EAL / language support
Not mentioned in the report.
Google Reviews of The Wooden Horse At St. Hildas
5.0
(1 Google review)
Carolyn Mcloughlin
8 years ago
Reviews from Google for The Wooden Horse At St. Hildas. See all on Google Maps
Inspection history
Date: November 2019
- January 2026Expected standard
- February 2020Outstanding
- November 2019Inadequate
Frequently asked about The Wooden Horse At St. Hildas
About the setting
The Wooden Horse At St. Hildas registered with Ofsted on 21/08/2017. It is a childcare on non-domestic premises type of setting. The registered person is The Wooden Horse Nursery Ltd. The setting operates Monday to Friday from 07:45 - 18:00.
- URN
- EY550220
- Registered person
- The Wooden Horse Nursery Ltd
- Day care type
- Full day care
- Register
- Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register
- Establishment type
- Childcare on non-domestic premises
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